Airlines
IATA Laments Tepid Traffic Improvements in July
The International Air Transport Association calls for governments to show more urgency in their efforts to coordinate application of travel restrictions.

A resurgence in Covid-19 cases in various regions and a failure by governments to coordinate on travel restrictions and quarantines have frustrated the airline industry’s recovery efforts, leading to “disappointing” traffic gains in July, according to officials from the International Air Transport Association. Speaking during a Tuesday press briefing, IATA chief economist Brian Pearce lamented a continuing lack of consumer confidence—as opposed to quite strong confidence in the business community—as another major contributor to the weaker-than-expected recovery even in domestic markets, with the notable exception of China. Meanwhile, international travel remains stubbornly weak, reflected in a 91.9 percent decline compared with the same month in 2019.